Tubular fluid-heating apparatus



May 1, 1928. 1,667,833 J. E. BELL TUBULAR FLUI) HEATING APPARATUS Filed March A24, 1923 [Nl/ENTOR By- 9 /Sae Patented May l, i928.

AUNITED STATES 1,667,833 A'PNTENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. BELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 vIE'OS'JJIIIR. WHEELER COR- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF YORK.

TUBULAR FLUID-HEATING APPARATUS.

Application led March 24,

The. general object of my present invention is to provide improved fluid heating apparatus comprising tubes exposed to high temperatures. The invention was rimarily devised, and is especially adapted or `use in .so-called radiant heat superheaters in which the steam to be superheated is passed through tubes adjacent, or forming a. portion of the boiler furnace combustion chamber wall from which the tubes receive. heat wholly, or largely, by direct radiation. The specilic object of the presentinvention is to provide improved means for supporting the heat absorbing tubes, and is intended for use with bare wrought metal tubes as distinguished from tubes enclosed in tubular cast metal sections and from hollow castings, and is characterized by the rigid attachment to the bare tubes of the supporting lugs or studs. These lugs or studs may be welded at their ends to the sides ot the tubes, or they may comprise collar portions encircling the tubes, and shrunk on, or Welded to the latter. l

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages, and specific objects attained with its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have Villustrated and described preferred embodiments ot' my invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section of a portion of a boiler furnace wall in which a radiant heat superheater is incorporated;

Fig. 2 isa partial section on the, line 2 2 ot Fig. 1; y

Fig. 3 is a partial section taken similarly to Fig. l but ona larger scale;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views taken similarly to Fig. 2, each illustrating a different modi-` fication;

Fig. .G is a view taken similari to Fig. 3, illustrating a modified form o tube support; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the apparatus shown in Fig. (i. i

In the drawings, and referring first to the construction shown in Figs. l, 2 and A are the tubes of agradiant heat superheatei` incorporated in the combustion chamber yWall C, of a boiler furnace. The tubes A 1.923. Serial N0. 627,426.

have transverse end portions which project outwardly through the furnace wall, andare connected to the superheater inlet andoutlet headers l and B', respectively. Each tube A hassupporting lugs or studs D welded to itat intervals along its length. As shown these lugs or studs D, which are advantageously formed of wrought steel, are provided with reduced and threaded end portions which pass through, and are connected to tube supports E in the form of angle bars extending parallel to the tubes, there being one'angle `bar E back of and connected to .each tube A.

To accommodate relatively longitudinal?. expansion and contraction of each tube and its supporting bar, the bar and tube may be rigidly clamped together by means of one of the. supportinglugs or studs D and the nut threaded on its reduced end, While the reduced ends of the other lugs D of the tube pass loosely through slotted openings in the supporting bar which' supports the tubes and hold it in alignment. The supporting lugs D may or may not Aform part of a metallic framework incorporated in or bracing the boiler housing wall and carrying the weight of the housing wall brickwork above the superheater. Ordinarily a suitable heat insulating material may be packed between and at the outer side of the bars E.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, refractory bricks or tile parts F are arranged between the tubes A and the tube supporting bars E. These parts F are provided with so-calledA shadow brick extensions F -Which extend into the furnace chamber appreciably bevond the inner sides of the tubes A, so that the latter are each received in a corresponding groove in the refractory wall formed by the parts F, and the extensions F reduce the extentv to which the tubes are exposed to, .and absorb radiant heat. The brick or tile parts Fare suitably notched or cut away as indicated at F` to provide openings for the studs D. In some cases, there is no need of having brick extensions into the furnace chamber beyond the tubes, and in such cases brick parts FA as show-n in Fig. 4, or brick parts FB as shownin Fig. 5 may be employed. The brick parts FA have reduced extensions F3 which extend to the plane of the center lines of the tubes A, while the brick parts FB are employed where it is desired to have the tubesA wholly exposed.

In some cases the Wall formed by the brick parts FB may even be located at some distance away from the inner sides of the tubes A so that the latter are enveloped by the heating gases. Y

In lieu of welding supporting lugs D to the sides of the tubes A, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, supporting parts DA may be formed with collar portions D which encircle the tubes A as shown in Figs. .G and 7. The collar portions D may be shrunk on the tub'es or may be welded thereto as indicated ai D.

IVith. the described arrangements, bare tubes of wrought steel exposed to high furnace temperatures may be attached to supporting devices incorporated in a furnace wall. and the attaching provisions employed are simple and inexpensive in construction, and effective and durable in operation. The invention is obviouslyy not restricted to use in some superheaters, but is adapted for use in oil refining apparatus and generally where it is desired to impart heat to a tluid passing through tubes heated wholly or largely by radiant heat absorbed from a furnace chamber.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as n ew and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

l. In a furnace the combination with the furnace housing wall, of a furnace wall super heater tube having supporting devices rigidly secured to the tube at intervals along its length and comprising bare tube sections between the supporting devices, and means mounted in said wall and engaging said devices at the side of the tube adjacentr said wall to hold said tube in proximity to the inner wall of the furnace with the bare sections ofthe tube exposed to the heating effectV tecting said devices against excessive radiu ant heat absorption.

3. In a furnace, the combination with a furnace chamber wall of a tubular heating element comprising a bare tube body portion adjacent and extending alongside said wall, and supporting means secured to said body portion at intervals along its length and extending away from the side of said l.ody portion adjacent said wall whereby the shielding ell'ect of said body portion restricts radiant heat absorption by said means.

4. In a` furnace, the combination with a furnace chamber wall of a tubular heating element 4comprising a bare tube body portion adjacent and extending alongside said wall, and supporting parts welded to said body portion at intervals along its length and extending away from the side of said body portion adjacent said wall whereby the shielding etfeet of said body -portion restricts radiant heat absorption by said parts.

Signed at city of New York, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, this 22nd day of March, A. D. 1923.

JOHN E. BELL. 

